RIO DE JANEIRO (Brazil) – An unusual scene attracted the attention of pedestrians at the Copacabana Beach, South Zone of Rio de Janeiro City, on the morning of last Wednesday. A team of police officers, accompanied by an agent of Police Special Operations Battalion (BOPE) and another federal agent, flew over the site in two armored helicopters of the Air Service of the Civil Police (Saer) while returning from a training course on the Rio +20 Conference and saw a commotion on the sidewalk. Realizing that this was a robbery, they landed a helicopter in the sand and were able to stop the bandits.

Police said four robbers armed with knives robbed a group of nine Chinese tourists. Also according to the police, as the beach was empty, two shots were fired from a pistol. Two robbers were arrested, and a camera recovered from tourists. One of the prisoners is Thiago Nunes Bruno and the other is less than 15 years. Another two bandits escaped.

The agents arrested the suspects at the time of the Hotel Porto Bay. In a statement, the Civil Police said the helicopter came down on the beach, and that the agents made the approach and led the criminals to the Police Tourist Service (DEAT), where the the act has been registered.

“We were returning from training for the Rio +20 heliport in Lagoa when we realize that a group of tourists was surrounded by young people. We note that it was a robbery and, as the beach was empty, I landed in the sand. The team that was left on board to arrest the assailants” Adonis Lopes de Oliveira, a helicopter pilot said.